Franz von garn



(No Model.\

F. VON GARN. GAR COUPLING.

No. 484,419. Patented Oct. 18, 1892.

6' n J z NJ I? Z w MJQJ/ PATENT OFFICE.

FRANZ VON GARN, OF COLOGNE, GERMANY.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 484,419, dated October18, 1892.

Application file-d September 9, 1891. Serial No. 405,237.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANZ VON GARN, a subject of the King of Prussia,German Emperor, and a resident of Cologne, in the Province of the Rhine,German Empire, have invented new and useful Improvements in Couplingsfor Railway-Cars, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to diminish the danger which arises whenmen have to creep in between two cars for sake of connecting ordisconnecting the same. I obtain this object by arranging the couplingin such a manner as to enable the engaging or disengaging from the sideof the cars.

In order to make myinvention well understood, I refer to theaccompanying drawings, in which similar letters denote similar partsthroughout the different views, and in which- I Figure 1 is a plan ofmyimproved car-coupling. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is aplan of my improved oar-coupling in combination with an auxiliarycoupling, and Fig. 4 is an elevation of the latter.

The draw-hook, which is usually integral with the draw-bar, is replacedby a bifurcated draw-head a, having a pin 0, on which hangs loosely thedraw-hook 1) between its bifurcations. When lowered, the hook rests onthe cross-piece d, forming part of the draw-head. The raising of thehook is accomplished by the cam or eccentric f, being arranged, also,between the bifurcations of the draw-head below the hook and keyed untothe horizontal cross-bar g. The cross-bar 9 extends throughout thebreadth of the car, has its bearings it below the buffers, and isfurnished within handy reach of anybody standing on the side with an arm1 carrying on its end a counterweight k. WVeight kand cam f stand atright angles to each other, so that when the arm t' is horizontal thepoint e will either be the lowest or' highest. By turning thecounterweight forward the cam will be brought round to its lowestposition, wherein it will be held by its tooth 1, bearing against thesolid cross-piece d. Thereby the draw-hook b is released and allowed tolower. When turning the counter-weight 70 back again, the cam raises thehook again and is itself held by the cross-piece d, which prevents afur- (No model.)

ther lowering of the weight. The second member of the coupling is theloop-link m, which is pivotally attached to the draw-head by the pin 0.Noses n and n, being fixed to the drawhead, prevent the loop-link frombeing raised or lowered too much. The link is beveled at its point inorder to allow two such links of different cars to pass each other andthus prevent them from colliding. Now when it is required to couple twocars the books of both are lowered and then the cars are brought nearertogether until the book of one car comes within the range of theloop ofthe other. At this moment the hooks are raised again and the coupling iscomplete. The manipulation may all be done outside by merely turning thearm tin either direction. The length of the loop-links m may bedifferent on goods or passenger trains, according to the application ofthe buffers.

Should it be required to make use of auxiliary couplings when theabove-described double coupling is not thought safe enough, chains maybe employed such as illustrated by Figs. 3 and 4. The loop q, beinghinged to the car by the pin 8', is adapted to engage with the hook p ofthe next car. Somewhat above the cross-bar g the loop is provided with aturnable joint, means, however, being provided to prevent an upwardbending out of the same. The cross-bar g is provided below the loop (1with a bifurcated arm 0", having curved heads with grooves to suit theshape of the loop g. This arm 8 will be lowered when the cam fis raised.When it is required to disconnect the cars, the bar g is turned in sucha manner that the arm 1' is brought upright. The said grooves of thelatter catch up the loop q, stretch the same at its joint 15, and liftit out of the hookp. When coupling the cars, the arms will be lowereddown, releasing the loop g, which sinks down upon the neck of the hookp, shortens by the joint 15 bending down, and thereby enters the hookitself.

Having thus fully described the nature of my said invention, what Idesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is- 1. Thecombination, with the bifurcated side of the car by means of the arm 7,,provided with counter-weight k, the cam f, mounted on the cross-bartooth 1, adapted to 00 g and provided with a llide with the cross-piece(I, said cam f being arranged so as to'lift and lower the hook I), andthe loop-link 'm, engaging with the hook I) of the adjacent car,substantially as and for 2. The combination,

having a cross-bar g,

the purpose described.

with a main coupling by which the same may be governed from the side ofthe car, of an onsisting of a hook 19, a

auxiliary coupling 0 loop q, and a bifurcated arm 7, mounted on thecross-bar g of the main couplingand adapted to lift and lower the loop70 out of or into engagement with the hook p, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

FRANZ VON GARN.

Witnesses:

A. LOHMANN, H. A. MAXWELL.

